Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer rips radio host

UPDATE: Dan Sileo, host of a sports talk show on WDAE-AM 620, was suspended by the company that owns the radio station after on-air comments Thursday about the financial state of the Bucs’ owners, the Glazers, and potential plans to sell the team.

Sileo, who played one season for the Bucs in 1987, is suspended pending Clear Channel Communication’s investigation, said Dan DiLoreto, president and market manager of Clear Channel Tampa.

The station posted an apology on its Web site: “During a broadcast Thursday … morning host Dan Sileo made some statements about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Glazier (sic) family that were factually incorrect. We sincerely apologize … and hereby issue a full retraction.”

"The report today by WDAE’s Dan Sileo about our family and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is 100 percent false.

"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not, nor have they ever been for sale. In addition, our family or any of our related companies have never invested one penny with Bernie Madoff.

"The report is baseless, irresponsible and slanderous. This type of behavior by Mr. Sileo and his company Clear Channel will be dealt with in the appropriate manner.”

This sort of public reaction to a story is practically unprecedented for the Glazers, who conduct barely a handful of interviews each year. What sparked this kind of emphatic reaction? It's possible that, since the rumors in question dealt with the family's finances -- something that could potentially impact business deals in its numerous companies -- the Glazers saw fit to put an end to the story.

About the blog

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans: Keep up with your team news on Bucs Beat, our blog for all things Bucs. Tampa Bay Times sports writers keep you posted on the latest Bucs news, and you can weigh in with your own thoughts.